Inaugural Statement by Editor-in-Chief
2011-03-28 04:20
The Journal of Transportation Technologies is an international refereed journal dedicated to the latest advancement of transportation technologies, aiming to promote and disseminate the state-of-the- art research results.
In this age of information and technologies, we all have been witnessing the transformation through which the world has become inextricably interconnected and interdependent. We, as citizens and scholars of the 21st century, cannot afford to ignore this new reality. We must extend our knowledge of the world and develop the critical skills necessary to understand the changing economic, political, and cultural contexts within which transportation technologies take place. These emerging contexts represent new and exciting opportunities for transportation scholars to enhance the quality of their research on mobility and transportation technologies by linking, partnering, and collaborating with scholars around the world.
At the same time, we have also seen a plethora of information and communication technologies become newly available, and alternative technologies that affect our mobility continue to emerge. Instant and ubiquitous access technologies represent and make possible new sets of concepts, practices, and standards. The main challenge and research agenda for future mobility seems to be twofold: (1) how to conserve scarce resources by utilizing new technologies and (2) to identify ways for existing habitable spaces to grow in a more sustainable and intelligent manner. The rapid convergence of ICTs and computing technologies raises the possibility of a dramatic transformation in the way we perceive and move pursuing daily activities, as well as how we interact with one another in activity spaces including movement:
· From street-oriented to information-oriented,
· From economy of scale to economy of scope,
· From centralized information to distributed information,
· From standardization to customization,
· From efficiency-oriented to quality-oriented,
· From regularity to flexibility, and
· From distance-oriented to time-oriented.
Responding to the impending paradigm shifts from traditional conception of mobility to the space wrought by ubiquitous and instant access technology is a challenging task for all researchers.
As I assume the editorship-in-chief of the Journal of Transportation Technologies, I wish first to thank all of those scholars who have agreed to serve on the Editorial Board. They may not endorse everything I have to say here, they have joined nevertheless for enhancing the common goal for promoting and disseminating the state-of-the- art research results in transportation technologies. On behalf of the editorial board, I affirm my commitment for enhancing the quality of life for all mankind by promoting advanced transportation technologies and disseminating the new findings as quickly and widely as possible.